The 35-year-old actress - who has played an inmate in many of her films - thinks she would have no trouble coping in jail.

She said: "It's weird because I do feel like I have done more of my fair share of time. I did the prison thing in 'Brokedown Palace', I've done the Philippines prison.

"Actually I think I could probably handle myself in a real prison - if I had something heavy to put in my sock!"

Kate's father Richard starred in hit UK TV prison show 'Porridge' and the actress believes she may have inherited his love of playing a villain.

She is quoted as saying: "My father's television show back home in England was set entirely in a prison. There's obviously a theme there."

Kate recently revealed her nine-year-old daughter Lily would rather she work with "retro" stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Joan Crawford instead of Hollywood heartthrobs including Ben Affleck and Hugh Jackman.

Kate said: "Lily is really retro so she's kind of like, 'Oh I wish you could work with Joan Crawford or Janice Joplin'. I'm like, 'They're dead now. I totally get it, but it's probably not going to happen'."